The Duke



No one takes care of the commoners of Dingwall better than the village's resident nobleman, The Duke (JOHN NEVILLE), and his faithful, slobbering hound, Hubert. The Duke happily sells his priceless paintings and furniture to raise money for the village's poor. Hubert and The Duke are known and loved in Dingwall where they offer money, food and comfort to humans and animals in need.

Wherever he goes, Hubert leaves a soggy, muddy trail behind him at the Ruffshire estate, much to the tolerant chagrin of all who work there, most especially the Duke's loyal and trusted butler, Clive Chives (JAMES DOOHAN). But the Duke doesn't mind, nor does Charlotte (COURTNEE DRAPER), Chives' visiting American niece, who is Hubert's second best friend ... second only to the Duke.

Horrified that his future inheritance is being sold to feed the wretched poor, the Duke's sniveling nephew, Cecil Cavendish (OLIVER MUIRHEAD), vows to wrest control of the estate from The Duke, fire the staff and cancel all aid to the villagers. On his deathbed, the Duke overhears Cecil's plans and makes the only rational choice...

"Royalty Goes to the Dogs!" declare British papers the next day, after The Duke's will is read. The Duke leaves his estate and family jewels to Hubert and appoints Charlotte as Hubert's sole guardian, leaving Chives firmly in charge of things as the estate's senior butler.

Royalty has never seen a ruling Duke like this! Hubert turns the world of high-society and decorum upside down, beginning with a coronation party that invites the Royals--and their pets! Chives finds his hands full with the unlikely royal pair of Hubert and Charlotte and decides to bring in an expert--Mrs. Puddingforth (JUSTINE JOHNSTON), etiquette consultant to the royals. Chives does all he can to help poor Mrs. Puddingforth educate Hubert and Charlotte in the social graces, but this doesn't stop the both of them from failing in love with two commoners. Charlotte falls for Florian (JEREMY MAXWELL), a young man from the village, while Hubert takes a fancy to his dog, Daisy.

Meanwhile, Cecil is determined not to give up his family jewels to a dog! Cecil and his nasty girlfriend, Shamela (SOPHIE HEYMAN), train a French poodle, Coquette, to seduce Hubert. Nothing short of a whirlwind romance and a wedding between Hubert and Coquette will satisfy them. Poor Hubert, despite Chives' warnings and his attraction to Daisy, he can't resist the wiles of a prim, proper and pampered society poodle.

In short order, a wedding day is organized for Coquette and Hubert. As Coquette walks down the aisle and Hubert seriously questions his choice, Cecil tries to steal The Duke's jewels. A mad chase and food fight ensues, involving Hubert and all the guests. By the end, the guests are rumpled and the decorations destroyed, but the jewels are saved and Hubert marries his only true love--Daisy.